A very good sounding set. I own the 4.1 set (now discontinued) and they were incredibly unreliable (the satellite speakers were fine, but the amplifier which controlled them wasn't - inside the subwoofer). They now function as a 2.1 set because the rear speaker amps died.

My main comment is that they are pricey and I expected them to not be so flaky for the money. For 150, I feel like there should be some other options out there that sound at least as good but are more reliable... however I've moved over to headphones mostly, so I don't have any other suggestions.

I've been using my ProMedias for about 6 years, they still work, I still enjoy the sound they produce (they produce excellent sound quality even without wasting $$$ on some dedicated sound card). If they'll ever stop working - I'll just try to buy the same set again.

Last edited by JohnC on Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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My Harmon-Kardon Soundsticks II aren't bad, but they're pretty bass heavy. You can adjust that on the sub, but anything about the lowest setting gets boomy. I can't say I have them in a great setup though, as their location and input are both sub-optimal. I think they might be a bit more than the ProMedia set, but they also might be easier to find.

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ProMedia 2.1s here, bought them about a year ago. Quite possibly the best set of 2.1 computer speakers at this size and pricepoint. Shelf price at Best Buy is about $155 but every now and then they go on sale for around $135.

Hahaha. 200$ seems like a good starting point, i'd say. You can buy a good pair of amplified monitors for that amount. Less bass-heavy, more midrange. Later on you can always add an amplified subwoofer and let your soundcard handle the signal output. (Depends on your soundcard outputs/drivers...)Don't buy computer speakers. They're almost always unbalanced and overpriced.

I have the ProMedia 4.1's that I got when they first came out, maybe six years ago, maybe more. My friend got the 2.1's, and they actually sound even better than the 4.1's. If you want to get the best computer speakers possible, the Klipsch 2.1'a should be on your short list. Anything better is going to cost much more in the home theater range. You can certainly do with less, too. Best way to decide is to go to a store and listen.

Hahaha. 200$ seems like a good starting point, i'd say. You can buy a good pair of amplified monitors for that amount. Less bass-heavy, more midrange. Later on you can always add an amplified subwoofer and let your soundcard handle the signal output. (Depends on your soundcard outputs/drivers...)Don't buy computer speakers. They're almost always unbalanced and overpriced.

I agree with this.

If the OP's primary use for the speaker is near-field music listening, consider the Audioengine 2 speakers. They are fantastic once broken in, and after hearing them they are definitely on my list to replace my Klipsch 2.0's.

Like others have said, the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speakers are phenomenal. I've used them for a couple years and nothing else at that price point comes even close. I got mine off eBay, brand new, for $75 or something and they beat out speakers 2-3x times their cost. Total steal.

Klipsch Promedia 2.1 is the way to go if you want a simple set up that is really powerful/clear.

If you are feeling adventurous, craigslist around and see if you can find anyone that is selling nice speakers for cheap since they are moving. I've come across a lot of steals doing this and it is quite fun.

They still work okay, though the volume knob can be flaky at times, so I try not to touch it (I only use software volume controls; thanks to the improved sound model in Vista/7, I can finally adjust volume on a per-application basis).

I do have a pair of Sennheiser 600s that I also use when I'm really concentrating on listening to something. But truth be told, I avoid wearing the cans because they make me look like a space alien. For what I paid ($100) and for what they're supposed to do (casual listening, the odd game), the Promedias have done their job.

Now, I suppose if cost was not not an overriding concern, I'd get a proper receiver and some good bookshelf speakers. Even an inexpensive set of properly engineered bookshelf speakers will reveal any "Elite Haxor Computer Speaker 76.1 Super-Hyper-Mega Surround" bundles for the (relative) pieces of price-point junk that they are.

r00t61 wrote:Now, I suppose if cost was not not an overriding concern, I'd get a proper receiver and some good bookshelf speakers. Even an inexpensive set of properly engineered bookshelf speakers will reveal any "Elite Haxor Computer Speaker 76.1 Super-Hyper-Mega Surround" bundles for the (relative) pieces of price-point junk that they are.

Yep - see my post above, "computer speakers" really are ho hum at the very best.

I had Promedia 2.1s a few years back. They sounded very good (for PC speakers) but the quality wasn't great, which is why I no longer have them.

I since bought some M-Audio studio reference monitors and I will never go back. The balance is great, and unlike 2.1 systems, I never feel there's a muddy spot in the midrange when the satellites lack the punch but the woofer can't deliver enough accuracy.

They don't go as loud as the Klipsch so they can't be used as your sound system at a large house party, but they go loud enough to be antisocial to the neighbours (at which point I switch to some decent headphones anyway).

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JJCDAD wrote:The OP didn't list any requirements or intended uses for the speakers. So I posted some highly rated but cheap speakers.

How would you guys respond to a post that read "I need a computer. I want to spend $1000."?

I appreciate the sentiment, but computer speakers don't work that way -- in fact, they're Exhibit A for Sturgeon's Law. If the OP simply wanted to put noise into the room he would have bought something like the CyberAcoustics set already. The fact that he's willing to spend $200 indicates that he is willing to pay what it takes to not only put noise in the room, but do so with a certain amount of fidelity to the source material.

Chrispy_ wrote:I since bought some M-Audio studio reference monitors and I will never go back. The balance is great, and unlike 2.1 systems, I never feel there's a muddy spot in the midrange when the satellites lack the punch but the woofer can't deliver enough accuracy.

The only M-Audio units in the OP's price range are the AV30s and the AV40s, which have a lower -3dB rolloff at 90Hz and 85Hz, respectively. If using either of those, you haven't eliminated the hole; you've simply shifted it down to the entire lower bass range. Tolerable for certain types of production work where it is critical to hear the entire midrange accurately, not necessarily tolerable for general listening. Even a relatively cheap 2.1 system will go down to at least 45Hz, the ProMedias are rated all the way down to 31Hz which is excellent for a subwoofer that size.

Sorry guys for not being more specific in my inquiry. They are mainly going to be used for playing music and games. If I am going to use non-pc speakers what exactly will that entail? If I seem a bit dim it is because I am. I really have no idea when it comes to sound quality.

Last edited by Deathright on Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Deathright wrote:Sorry guys for not being more specific in my inquiry. They are mainly going to be used for playing music and games. If I am going to use non-pc speakers what exactly will that entail? If I seem a bit dim it is because I am. I really have no idea when it come to sound quality.

Even the "non-PC" speakers noted here have their own internal amplifiers, so there's no real difference from your PC's POV.

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Deathright wrote:Sorry guys for not being more specific in my inquiry. They are mainly going to be used for playing music and games. If I am going to use non-pc speakers what exactly will that entail? If I seem a bit dim it is because I am. I really have no idea when it come to sound quality.

Even the "non-PC" speakers noted here have their own internal amplifiers, so there's no real difference from your PC's POV.

And from a sound quality point of view, they're actually designed for listening to music. So if playing music is a major use of this system, getting non-PC speakers can make a lot of sense.

There used to be a problem with most non-PC speakers lacking the magnetic shielding to prevent them from messing up your display. But unless you're an "old school" die-hard CRT fan this is a non-issue today (LCDs aren't susceptible to magnetic interference).

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